Innocent Eyes Hold the Most Demons
by TheUnluckyFox
Summary: Strange occurrences have haunted Yugi for years, but they were easy to ignore. That is, until unforeseen circumstances land him in the care of his aging grandfather. AU
1. Prologue

Innocent Eyes Hold the Most Demons

Prologue

The house would have been completely silent if not for the young boy playing in his room, left alone with his favorite toys. Mauve colored eyes focused on the imaginary scene before him, watching it play out to his tale of fantasy. He spoke only for the toy characters, his tone soft even in the quiet of his room. The wise magician cast a spell on the rampaging dragon, stopping it in its tracks and saving the small town. The people cheered at his victory, hailing him as a hero for centuries to come.

A faint sound drew Yugi's attention away from his activity, the noise akin to something being set down on another surface. He listened for more, but silence had once again claimed the small home. Perhaps he had just imagined it.

Yugi returned to his toys, although with much more awareness than before. He listened for any indication that his mother had returned; he figured she must be working later than usual, which he had come to expect as of late.

The sight of movement caught Yugi's eye just in time for him to see one of his toy trains roll around the doorframe and into the dark hallway. Visibly confused, the eight-year-old got to his feet and sauntered over to the corridor. Peering out in the direction he had seen the train roll off to, Yugi could just barely make it out sitting motionless two doors down.

"Mama?" he tried, making sure to stay in the safety of the light from his room. Only silence answered him, pretending that it was the same tranquil quietness from before. The boy debated on whether he should investigate or return to his room, his inner conflict very outwardly visible.

"I'm home, Yugi!" exclaimed a woman's voice from behind the child, the sudden burst of sound predictably startling him. Seeing this, Yugi's mother laughed apologetically, adding, "I'm sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to scare you."

After the initial shock, Yugi could only feel relieved to see his only parent home again. If he was going to start imagining sounds and the like, then he hoped that these long periods of solitude would be few and far between.

"I'm about to start dinner, do you want to help me?" Mrs. Mutou asked her son with a smile, earning on from Yugi in return. He nodded enthusiastically, eagerly following her to the kitchen.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The Kame Game Shop looked just as Yugi remembered it: small and quaint, much like the owner himself. He stood on the sidewalk that ran alongside the building, barely registering the sound of the taxicab behind him driving away. His hands reflexively tightened on the handles of his suitcases sitting at his sides, lips pursed as hesitation engulfed him.

The teenager could just barely see through the door to the shop inside, finding no one waiting for him. A breath that Yugi did not know he held left him at this realization, although he was aware that his relief would be short lived. Feeling that he stood outside long enough, Yugi made his way over to the door, rolling the suitcases along.

Pushing the door open ignited a pleasant jingle from above, effectively alerting the only employee in the shop.

"One moment!" called out a gravelly masculine voice from an adjacent room; the kitchen, Yugi remembered. An elderly man whose height barely reached over Yugi's entered, soon stopping in his tracks at the sight of the familiar face before him. "Yugi! I didn't think you'd be here so soon. Was the trip okay?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Yugi replied with a small smile in reply as he was embraced tightly by the older man. Faded lilac colored eyes glimmered as bright as they did in his youth, the accepting stare disarming the teenager in no time at all. Yugi managed to continue, "the trip was fine, very quiet."

"Come now, let's get you settled in. I'm sure you're ready to have some dinner, right?" The shop owner grabbed hold of one of his grandson's suitcases and meandered into the house section of the building, much to Yugi's dismay. He tried to insist that he was okay to pull both bags, but Sugoroku was not having it.

They had to pass through the living room to get to the stairs, giving Yugi a chance to briefly examine it. The décor was pretty much the same as he recalled it; it was his late grandmother's design, and he could understand why his grandfather hand not changed much of anything.

It was almost like Yugi had traveled back in time, when things were simpler and complete. The world was a wonder then, yet it made sense too.

"Dinner does sound nice," was the teenager's delayed reply.

"Wonderful. I'll have it whipped up for us in no time." Sugoroku hobbled over to a door at the end of the hall, using his free hand to open it.

The bedroom wasn't big by any means, but Yugi did not really care about that. His new full-sized bed was nestled against the left wall, made up and ready for him. Nearby, on the next wall directly ahead was a desk and chair; only a lamp and a few books made their home on its surface. There was no other furniture to be seen, which Yugi expected.

The most alluring feature of his room was the large ceiling window slanted directly over the desk for natural lighting. The setting sun could easily be seen through it, the dying light casting deep oranges and purples into the cloudy sky. It bathed the room with a similar glow, assuring Yugi that he would happily spend most of his time here.

"Do you like it? It was all I had time to put in it on such short notice," Sugoroku said quietly, searching his grandson's face for an answer. Yugi looked over at him and smiled as big as his mood would allow.

"It's great. Thank you, Grandpa."

"Of course. Go ahead and start unpacking, I'll get dinner started." With a nod in response from Yugi, Sugoroku took his leave and descended downstairs. Now alone, the teenager took another look around his new room.

While bare, he could easily see its potential and could not wait to make it more his own. Feeling suddenly productive, Yugi took his grandfather's advice and began to unpack his belongings to pass the time. It proved to be a decent distraction from recent events.

After hanging up most of his clothes and finding homes for a few knickknacks, Sugoroku had called him to dinner. He had made Yugi's favorite, which was well received by the younger Mutou. The two ate in relative silence, with the older man urging a few responses out of his new charge.

"I arranged for us to meet with the school principal tomorrow morning," Sugoroku stated, catching Yugi's attention. The elder smiled warmly, continuing, "I hear Domino High is a nice school, although it's been quite a while since I've been."

Sugoroku chuckled a bit at his own remark, managing to get a small laugh from his quiet grandson. This did not last, however, as Yugi thoughtlessly poked the remains of his burger. A frown made its way onto Sugoroku's expression, bringing silence back to the table once more.

He knew it would take some time to get Yugi back from the gloomy mood that had taken hold of him, but it saddened the old man nonetheless. Yugi and his mother had been close, and as far as he knew, the boy had been doing well in his school then. It was clear that everything Yugi had known had been wrenched away from him, leaving him no choice but to start over and move on.

"Don't worry about doing the dishes, Grandpa. I'll do them." Yugi's soft voice broke Sugoroku from his thoughts; he was already gathering his plate and utensils. The shop owner had half a mind to stop him, that he had to rest after coming a long way, but immediately thought better of it.

It would seem that he had to get used to some new changes as well.

"Alright, Yugi. I'll be in the living room if you need anything." At Yugi's confirming nod, Sugoroku stood from his seat and wandered out of the kitchen.

Most people would detest doing dishes, but to Yugi it was an easy way to calm his mind by focusing on a single task. There was not a lot of dishes to wash, as it appeared that Sugoroku used only what was necessary, but Yugi hardly minded.

Wash, rinse, repeat, make sure to double check for spots, wash, rinse, repeat. Do it just as Mother taught you, wash, rinse, repeat.

Yugi heard the kitchen door open; however, he did not turn around. He waited for his grandfather to speak, but only silence was the response. When he could no longer take the feeling of eyes staring at his back, Yugi finally looked over his shoulder only to see an empty kitchen. The door was in fact open; was Grandpa just checking on him?

Yugi finished the dishes without further incident, making sure to leave the kitchen spotless. He joined his grandfather in the living room afterward, finding him sitting on the old red couch that Grandma had bought years ago. Sugoroku was watching television as Yugi walked in, smiling up at him as he moved into his sights.

"Want to watch this with me?" he offered, his eyes still shining with mirth from the laughing fit he endured moments before. Yugi smiled back with a nod before joining him on the couch, choosing to let the matter of the kitchen incident go.

Before they knew it, two hours had come and gone, and it was clear that it was bedtime for the both of them. The television was shut off and the two made their way upstairs, bidding each other goodnight and retiring to their rooms.

The fact that this would be the first time he has slept in this bedroom since he was a child did not escape Yugi, knowing he was notorious for having trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places. He hoped that his exhaustion from the trip and the late hour would remedy that tonight.

It must have been early morning when Yugi awoke suddenly, violet eyes opening and lazily looking around his dark room. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary and Yugi immediately shut his eyes again. However, a faint sound from downstairs kept the teenager awake.

To him, it sounded like television static.

Yugi tried to ignore it: rolling over, covering his head, counting sheep, any trick in the book he could think of. He soon realized, however, that he would have to confront this problem if he wanted a decent amount of rest. Throwing off the covers with a sigh, Yugi got to his feet and begrudgingly made his way downstairs.

Peering in, he could see that the living room was empty, the bright light from the screen doing an excellent job of illuminating the couch before it. Determining whether his grandfather had slept walked or not, the younger Mutou approached the set in a sluggish gait. He eventually found the remote and turned it off again.

Setting it down on the coffee table, Yugi yawned loudly before heading back to his room. Feeling much too tired to wonder what could have caused such an occurrence, he settled back into his bed and soon fell into a restful slumber once more.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Yugi awoke to the blinding morning sunlight pouring in from his window, furrowing his brows at the intrusion before rolling away from the pesky light. He sank into the plush mattress, the covers enveloping him in a warm, cozy hold; it was as if the teenager had slept on the fluffiest of clouds. He had just begun to doze off again when a soft knock at his door brought him back to wakefulness. The door opened to reveal Sugoroku with a smile brighter than the sunlight that had roused him prior.

"Rise and shine, Yugi! Breakfast is nearly done!" As soon as he spoke, the enticing aroma of bacon teased Yugi's senses. He rose almost immediately, all traces of grogginess gone into the crisp morning air.

"Man, that smells good!"

"Why thank you! Get out of bed and it's yours." The older man chuckled in amusement at Yugi's shift in demeanor, turning to leave and head back into the kitchen. Yugi never changed into his day clothes faster, but he would break records for Grandpa's bacon. He was out of his room and downstairs at breakneck speed, his small form practically diving into the chair.

A plate full of eggs, bacon, and toast was placed in front of him; he had to resist drooling onto the table at the tantalizing sight. Sugoroku made his own plate and joined Yugi, the two digging in soon after.

No words were spoken as they ate, the only sounds being the clinking of silverware against porcelline. Being alone for so long, Sugoroku had grown accustomed to the silence. However, with his grandson now sharing his table, the older Mutou became acutely aware of the quiet kitchen. Perhaps a small radio would help in times like these, he thought to himself.

"Hey Grandpa, did you get up in the middle of the night to watch TV?" Yugi suddenly asked, nearly startling Sugoroku. Once he fully comprehended what his grandson inquired, the shop owner gave a quizzical look. He rubbed his bearded chin, his eyes wandering to the side as he searched his memories of the previous night.

"I don't believe so. Why do you ask?"

"The TV was on, and it woke me up," Yugi explained, finishing up with the eggs on his plate.

"How odd. Maybe it's starting to go out," suggested Sugoroku with a shrug, smiling in amusement at the situation. "It is getting on in years."

Yugi wanted to question his grandfather's explanation, but quickly agreed that it was possible. If it wasn't his elderly caretaker's doing, what else could it be? He's always had to write off odd occurrences, so he figured that this was just another one to add to the list.

With that out of the way, Yugi pondered over his next question. To him, it was much more worrying than a faulty television. Just as Sugoroku stood from the table, Yugi forced it out at last.

"Do you think I'll do okay at this school?"

The older man stopped in his trek to the sink to turn back to his charge, visibly perplexed. Silence hung in the air for much too long before Sugoroku could form a response.

"That depends on you, Yugi. It won't happen overnight, but once you get more comfortable, you'll shine, I just know it," he replied carefully, taking in Yugi's distraught expression. With boundless concern in his eyes, Sugoroku asked a question of his own. "Did you not have friends at your other school?"

A minute or so passed before Yugi shook his head, his eyes never looking up from his plate. Sugoroku set his own plate in the sink before returning to Yugi, leaning over until he was eye level with him. He waited for the teenager to meet his gaze at last when he spoke.

"It'll be alright. I know you'll excel at anything you do, I guarantee it." Yugi nodded after a moment of contemplation, which brought a smile to Sugoroku's face. "Not to mention, you've got my support. I'm always here if you need help with anything."

"Thank you," the teenager replied, giving his grandfather a smile. "I'll do my best."

. . .

Domino High School was among the best in the city they say, even by public school standards. Spanning imposingly wide and standing three stories tall, Yugi had a feeling that he would get lost more than once. A clock tower stood front and center, the hands on the pearl white face reading 9:15.

The two Mutous entered through the front entrance, immediately greeted by an impressively large lobby. On a door off to their right held the label 'Principal's Office/Checkout', which they entered.

There was a small waiting area lined with pitifully small chairs, colored obnoxiously yellow. Across from the seats was the receptionist's counter where students could check out if necessary; it was currently closed off by a plastic sliding door, although the shadow of a person could be seen behind it. A door located to its left led to the Principal's office towards the back, the dark brown plywood standing out against the cream-colored walls.

Hearing the two enter, the receptionist quickly slid open the window to greet them. She held a polite smile on her face as she spoke.

"Good morning! How can I help you?"

"Good morning. My name is Sugoroku Mutou, I called about having my grandson attend this school," the older Mutou replied just as politely, approaching the counter with a wave of his hand. Yugi, however, remained stiffly by the chairs.

Recognition flashed across the young women's face, giving him a confirming nod before saying, "yes, I remember. Just have a seat, I'll call the principal."

Yugi was seated before Sugoroku, picking the last chair by the exit. His hands shook only slightly, but his focused expression is what alerted his grandfather to his inner turmoil. A hand on his shoulder slowly calmed Yugi, which allowed him to remember how to destress.

A moment of relaxing exercises helped Yugi open his mind to allow stress to seep out, something his mother taught him how to do. Deep breath in, exhale, empty your mind, deep breath in, exhale. With this fresh bout of clarity, Yugi was finally able to keep his pounding heart in check. There was nothing to be afraid of, it was just a visit to the principal. Said outwardly, the statement would be glaringly obvious, but repeated internally did wonders for his anxiety.

When Yugi looked up to thank his grandfather for comforting him, he saw that the older male sat beside him staring ahead with a look of concentration. His arms were folded across his broad chest. Yugi's eyes widened as he felt the faint weight on his shoulder fade away, then jumped to his feet with a gasp. A loud clattering sound followed as the chair was knocked over.

Sugoroku's worried eyes were on him instantly, carefully standing as well. He watched as Yugi searched the room frantically, as if expecting to see someone else with him.

"Yugi, what's the matter?" Sugoroku approached him, a hand outstretched. Yugi set his panicked eyes on him then, a doe in the headlights. A quiet sigh left the older man, his voice calm as he spoke again. "It's too much so soon, isn't it? Want to try again tomorrow?"

Yugi had not noticed before in his frightened state of mind, but the receptionist was also regarding him with concern from the counter. The teenager frowned before turning his stare to the floor. He was dead certain he had felt a hand on his shoulder that clearly was not there; was he really starting to lose it?

"No, we can try..."

"Are you sure?" Sugoroku asked gently, approaching his grandson in slow deliberate steps. Yugi kept his eyes on his feet, taking the time to notice of the scuffs and imperfections on his shoes for the first time. After a moment, he met Sugoroku's stare before giving a single nod.

"The principal can see you now, if you're ready," tried the receptionist in a hesitant tone, gaining the Mutous' attention. Giving her a confirming response, the two headed for the room in the back.

The meeting with the principal went a bit smoother than the wait did, much to the relief of both Mutous. Though still nervous about the ordeal, Yugi was able to answer all questions aimed at him clearly and directly. It had been arranged for him to begin attending class on Monday, which gave him the whole weekend to prepare. The younger Mutou found himself slightly relieved at this news and wanted to make the most of his newfound free time.

"Here is a list of supplies you'll need. Uniforms can be purchased at the local retailers," informed the secretary as they passed, handing Yugi a single sheet of paper. He missed the grimace on his grandfather's face as he looked at the extensive list of school supplies, though it was thankfully only a page long.

"Thank you, Miss," Yugi said with a nod before turning to Sugoroku. The two made their way out of Domino High and over to the old Cadillac waiting for them. The pristine mint green paint job easily gave away its location.

"Do you want to start shopping? Or would you like to relax for the rest of the day?" Sugoroku inquired gently as he walked to the driver's side door. Yugi waited on the passenger side, looking down in thought.

"It wouldn't hurt to get started," he replied quietly.

"Atta boy."

Finding the basic supplies had been easy; it was finding the uniforms that proved the most difficult. Since it was right in the middle of the year, the availability of them had gone unfortunately scarce.

When they arrived home, the two Mutous continued to keep words to a minimum. Sugoroku did so for Yugi's sake, who had retreated to his room minutes earlier. He opened the shop a bit earlier than planned, but it was a welcome distraction while he waited for his grandson's mood to lift. Business was slow, however, and the old man pondered on carrying a new popular card game he had heard about in his shop.

The familiar jingle of the front door opening snapped him out of his thoughts. He was certain he had locked up for lunch, but it was no bother. What was one more customer?

"Good afternoon! How can I...?" As Sugoroku entered the shop to greet the one who came in, he stopped abruptly upon stepping into an empty area. Confused, the older Mutou gave another look around. "Strange. I swore I heard someone come in."

A shrill bang reverberated from the kitchen, startling Sugoroku. Coming back to the source of the disturbance, he was surprised to find the plate which held his freshly made sandwich in pieces all over the floor.

"What on earth?" Still baffled and understandably upset, Sugoroku retrieved a broom and dustpan to begin cleaning up. Had he left the plate too close to the edge? He knew that Yugi surely would not have done such a thing, but what could have happened?

"Grandpa? What was that sound?" Yugi's voice called from upstairs. The sound of feet hastily moving to the kitchen followed, the teenager peering in with worried eyes. His grandfather nodded to himself, knowing beyond a doubt that Yugi was not to blame.

"My plate fell, it's the darnedest thing," he answered, the exasperated sigh from him not going unnoticed. "I thought there was a customer, and in a rush, I must've left it too close to the edge."

"I assumed the worst... Do you need help cleaning that?" Yugi approached Sugoroku, his bare feet carefully avoiding the shards. The distraught shop owner relented, allowing Yugi to sweep up the rest of the mess.

Once the kitchen was clean, business went on as usual for the rest of the afternoon. The shop saw a handful of customers, but only a few sales. Sugoroku did not mind; the activities helped them move on from the day's odd events.

With the shop now closed for the night, the older Mutou began making dinner. Yugi assisted where he could, his expertise focused mainly on keeping the kitchen clean. It did not take long for their meal to be ready and, with much more conversation this time, they sat down and ate.

"The school looked pretty big, bigger than the one before anyway," mused Yugi before taking a bite of his pork bun. His grandfather hummed thoughtfully at the remark.

"Yes, even grander than I remember it. Must've gotten some excellent government funding over the years."

"I hope I didn't freak that lady out..." Yugi said with a small groan. Sugoroku chuckled lightly in response, shaking his head and waving the matter off.

"I'm sure she's seen worse."

After helping his grandfather clean up the rest of the dishes, Yugi turned in early for the night. He wanted to get an early start in the morning, to which Sugoroku agreed and followed suit. The older Mutou made extra sure that everything was turned off before retiring to his room.

Yugi slept soundly all throughout the night, even as an unmistakable sense of being watched constantly nagged at the back of his subconscious.

* * *

A/N: Sugoroku strikes me as a classic car guy for some reason.

Thank you all for reading so far! It really means a lot to me. :)


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A storm was brewing somewhere just outside of Domino City. The heavy clouds loomed menacingly overhead, allowing distant rumbles of thunder to periodically escape. From what was said on the news, they were in for heavy rain all throughout the day and into the night. This put a damper on Yugi's uniform search, but he hoped that being cooped up inside will give him an opportunity to search around.

"Is pork good for dinner tonight?" Sugoroku asked Yugi from the kitchen, followed by the sounds of pots and pans being shuffled about. The teen sat on the couch typing his query into a search engine on his smart phone. He checked several options that popped up before answering.

"Yeah that's fine, Grandpa."

After several minutes of searching, Yugi's mind began to wander and eventually the images of the uniforms stopped registering. He stared unblinking at the webpage until a silent decision came to him.

Swiping upward on the screen brought him back to the search bar. Pressing an x beside it cleared his previous search, leaving the blank spot to stare back at him for a moment. Taking in a long, deep breath, Yugi typed his new inquiry in and pressed _Search_.

_Symptoms of anxiety._

The results were endless. Lists of symptoms that could reveal the latent disorder filled the corresponding page, though in general they all showed the same things. Yugi skimmed over a few, comparing them to his own experiences. He was looking for something specific but could not seem to find it. This provoked another search.

_Hallucinations._

There were more results, but nothing he did not already know. Time for another look.

_Causes of anxiety._

Yugi began reading the first article discussing the topic, carefully absorbing the information it contained. Many causes were said to be stress related, which made sense, if not obvious. Yugi let out a long sigh, mentally gathering the courage to address the real problem which he was avoiding. He began typing in the search bar once more.

_Single parent in need of…_

"Yugi, would you mind peeling a few potatoes for me? I've just about got the porkchops done," came Sugoroku's voice from the next room, bringing an end to Yugi's impromptu research investigation.

"Sure thing," he replied softly, clearing the unfinished inquiry and pocketing his phone. The teen entered the kitchen a moment later, greeted by a heavenly scent of meat and spices.

The potatoes were waiting for him in a strainer placed in the sink, totaling about four. Yugi went to work right away, reaching for a small knife lying off to the side.

"What kind of dish is this? It smells good," asked Yugi as he began peeling the first spud, gliding the blade over the surface in practiced strokes. Sugoroku beamed at his grandson's compliment, answering him in a jovial tone.

"Arthur showed this recipe to me. You remember Arthur, don't you?" His grandfather's question gave Yugi pause as he searched his memories for a face to match the name.

"He's your friend from the United States, right?"

"Yes. He taught me this dish several years ago. Hopefully it's as good as it smells!" Yugi smiled and nodded in agreement to Sugoroku's response, even if he could not see it with his back turned.

The younger Mutou continued peeling the potatoes in silence, listening to his grandfather's humming. His focus was on his task, having already finished two. The sound of raindrops tapping on the window above the sink could just barely be heard over the sizzling pork, the size of the splatters indicating heavy rainfall. Looking out, Yugi was surprised to see how dark it had gotten outside.

The sun was setting, though the only way to tell was the faint residual orange glow emanating from the blackened clouds. Yugi opted to stare outside, soon getting lost within his thoughts as he recalled all the events from these past few days.

"_Watch yourself,"_ he heard a whispered voice say right in his ear. Startled, Yugi whipped his head around to confront the source of the voice, only to find no one there. Looking over to his left, Sugoroku continued to cook the meat, his humming undisturbed. Concluding that it was his mind playing tricks on him again, Yugi turned his attention back to his task.

Instead, a gruesome sight was laid out before him; the entire sink was covered in blood, even splattered onto the counter and backdrop. It was all over his arms also, most of it covering the knife in his hand. Yugi tossed it away with a frantic shout which easily got Sugoroku's attention. The teenager could feel himself begin to hyperventilate as he stumbled away backwards, his wide mauve eyes fixated on the crimson liquid.

"Yugi! What's wrong? What happened?" Gentle hands carefully grasped his paling face and turned it to the side, breaking his gaze away from the red. Lilac eyes filled with worry became apparent to him, which slowly allowed the rest of his grandfather's features to reveal themselves. The deadly tunnel vision that had gripped him so tightly ebbed away, bringing his breathing under control. Yugi could hear the rain pouring down outside, the deluge signaling the storm's arrival.

"Grandpa, I…"

"What's wrong, Yugi? What did you see?" Sugoroku released Yugi's face then, but never let go of his concerned expression. The younger Mutou gripped the area of his shirt that was over his heart; he could feel it still thrumming away in his chest so hard he was sure it would find an escape in its cage.

"The sink. There was blood…" Yugi finally sputtered out in response, daring another look at the accursed area. To his surprise, the blood was completely gone; not even a stain remained. It would appear that his grandfather saw the same.

"There's nothing there."

Yugi fell quiet, not even believing his own words anymore. He was willing to explain away all of the strange occurrences that had been plaguing him lately, but nothing of this caliber had ever happened to him before. Was it really all in his head?

"Yugi, is there anything you would like to talk about? It might help you-"

"There's nothing that you don't already know," snapped Yugi in a guarded tone. The older man let it go with a sigh, knowing that he would not get anything more out of him.

"Fair enough. But you know I'm here to listen if you need someone to talk to, you know that right?" Large eyes hidden by wavy blond bangs never took their sights off the floor.

"Yeah."

"Good. I know things are different now, and I want to make sure you're comfortable." Sugoroku searched Yugi's face for any hint of him relenting but found no such thing. The younger male simply nodded, which Sugoroku knew would be the best he would get for a while. "Dinner shouldn't be much longer. Want to sit at the table for now?"

Yugi nodded again before walking to the chair in slow methodical steps, his legs feeling heavier than lead with every step. He sat down without a word, his eyes trained onto the lines of the wooden surface. Thunder rumbled in the distance, the shockwaves rocking the house a little. It was largely ignored.

Despite the earlier incident, Yugi had nearly finished peeling the potatoes. This made preparing them much quicker than it would have been otherwise. Dinner was served a little over fifteen minutes later, and the two ate in silence. The storm raged on in the background.

. . .

Sugoroku had turned in for the night a little over an hour ago, but Yugi could not bring himself to sleep just yet. He had too much on his mind, his thoughts running a marathon with all the hallucinations he has been experiencing lately. Searching for more answers on his phone yielded no resolutions, so he decided to just lay on his bed with his eyes on the ceiling, trying to figure it out on his own.

The lamp on his desk was the only source of light in his room, the glow illuminating raindrops that fell onto the window like tiny stars on a pitch-black sky. If he tried, Yugi could faintly make out the outlines of buildings in downtown Domino. Eventually, though, he grew tired of that.

"Hallucinations, stress, anxiety…" Yugi spoke softly into the stagnant air of his room, the words too heavy to carry any sound. He sighed, rolling onto his side.

He could not deny that something was wrong, but he had no ideas on where to even begin. Telling his grandfather would only worry him, so he had to find someone who may be an expert on such things. He can't be the only one with these problems, could he?

The light from his lamp flickered as another roar of thunder shook the neighborhood, halting Yugi's internal conversation. It burned brightly before shorting out, casting the room in complete darkness.

"Great."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Yugi soon became aware of his dreaming state, caught in the realm between wakefulness and sleep. He was comfortable where he lay, wrapped snugly within the warm sheets of his bed. The distant sound of humming caught Yugi's attention, but quickly attributed it to nothing more than the product of his dreaming mind.

As he became progressively more awake, increasing sensations began revealing themselves from where they previously hid in his subconscious. He felt fingers slowly brushing through his hair, each stroke sending a mix of warming comfort and icy dread. He shuddered, his eyes snapping open with a gasp.

The Saturday morning sun temporarily blinded Yugi; he took a moment to sit up and allow himself to shake off the rest of the sleep that still clung to him. A quick look around assured him that he was alone.

The house was quiet; not even the distant whir of the air conditioner could be heard. Ever cautious, Yugi slid out of bed and put on his day clothes. All the while he listened intently for any signs of life within the house, a heavy weight beginning to form in his chest.

Yugi wanted to call out for his grandfather but quickly subdued the urge, all too aware of something familiar returning to his mind, something long since buried. He silently reassured himself with a few deep breaths, the creeping panic slowly ebbing away.

He exited his room as casually as he could, keeping his eyes to the floor below for any possible hint to his grandfather's whereabouts. Yugi has never been in a household so deathly silent; it was as if time had stopped for the quaint structure.

"Grandpa, are you here?" the younger Mutou called out, his voice lacking agency and volume. He descended the stairs in light steps, the weight in his chest returning at the missing response. Yugi bypassed the living room to go to the kitchen, his eyes spotting a piece of paper on the table.

He went to it immediately, snatching it up as if expecting it to fly out of reach. The handwriting was most definitely his grandfather's, the note written short and to the point.

_Yugi, I've gone out to meet with Arthur and should be back around lunch. Take it easy today, okay? - Gramps_

The teenager released a soft breath that he had been holding, his entire body now light without the burden of panic. He put the note back down to check his phone, noting the time being half past nine.

_Maybe a walk will help,_ Yugi suggested to himself. The crisp fall air would feel pleasant against his heated skin, and the inviting sunshine was an even more tempting offer. Nodding to no one in particular, Yugi made his way to the shop area of the house. With no worries of opening the store, the younger Mutou grabbed his jacket hanging by the door and promptly exited.

After making sure the house was locked securely, Yugi began his walk to nowhere, his hand shoved deep into his pockets.

Yugi was not entirely familiar with the neighborhood, given that it had been years since he last visited. But it was a straight shot from his house to town, so he had allowed himself to delve into his thoughts in the meantime. He recalled his experiences and the reactions of those around him. Was it really because of stress, he wondered, eyes narrowing at the concrete passing beneath his feet. Or, was it something else entirely?

"You seem troubled," observed a soft spoken voice to Yugi's right. He looked over and stopped walking, finding a young man sitting on a bench looking right back at him. His dark brown eyes held no shine in them, appearing something akin to the stare of a dead fish. His unruly white locks cascaded down his shoulders and his back like a silent avalanche.

"I'm sorry?" Yugi asked, perplexed.

The young man tilted his head slightly to the left, then right, before sitting straight again. Weirded out, but his politeness not allowing him to just walk away, Yugi began to inspect his surroundings. It appeared that he had wandered to the local park; he remembered playing here with his mother when they would visit. Literally nothing had changed, much like his grandfather's home.

"Yours is quite strong," mused the young man after a long pause. It looked as if he had wanted to stand, possibly to have a closer look, but remained in his seat. Yugi was about to ask once again for confirmation, but the other male spoke up first. "He tells me that he's watched you for a long time. It troubles you."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi shook his head at his own question. What was he doing? "Look, I need to go."

"It's much easier to let spirits do as they please, especially ones that trouble you." It was then that Yugi decided to check out of this odd conversation, politeness be damned.

"Thanks but no thanks." He was sure that he had never walked faster in his life. Yugi could still feel the other male's dead looking eyes watching him depart, and he dared not look back.

In his haste, the teenager soon arrived in downtown Domino, the streets bustling with life. It was barely two weeks into fall, and the shops and establishments were already displaying Halloween decorations and themes. Yugi eyed a paper lantern pumpkin hanging from a light pole as he passed it, feeling the faintest hints of excitement for the holiday.

The subject brought his thoughts back to the strange young man and what he had told him. Is the reason for all that has happened so easily explained by an unseen phantom haunting him for whatever reason?

_That would explain a few things,_ Yugi thought, allowing himself to entertain the idea.

He walked into a clothing shop, hoping to find at least one school uniform there. From what the sign suggested, the store sold clothing donated from others. Surely, he thought, someone could have dropped off a uniform they no longer needed.

The store clerk at the counter called out a polite greeting to Yugi as he entered, visibly startling him. He quickly recovered and quietly answered back. Feeling his cheeks burn a little, Yugi darted toward the back and out of sight. He could recover in the solitude of the farthest rows.

_Could the house really be haunted? It's not that old._ Yugi thumbed through a few blue jackets, hoping to hit the jackpot. With no luck there, he moved on to the next rack. There, as if it had been waiting for him, hung a dark blue blazer that is worn at Domino High.

Yugi immediately snatched it off the rack, silently thanking his lucky stars at his find. He tried it on, finding the sleeves a bit too long. The rest of the blazer fit almost perfectly, which surprised him.

Wanting to try his luck, Yugi removed the blazer to see if he could find the matching pants.

As he searched, a strange sensation came over him, as if he were being watched. A look over his shoulder confirmed that he was alone in this section, the discovery sparking the same rising dread from earlier.

Yugi tried to ignore it and move on, but the more he did, the more urgent the need to check behind him again. A few muffled footsteps quickly grabbed his attention, his eyes scanning the lanes more closely. There was no one close to him, a fact which brought him even more uneasiness as he moved away from the boys clothing section.

The sound of clothes rustling in the rack beside Yugi was the final straw; he clutched the jacket tight and fled to the front counter. As frightened as he was, there was no way he was leaving without his find.

"Are you okay, sir? What happened?" asked the clerk with an unnerved expression. Yugi was sure he looked as if ten years of his life had been shaved off, but chose not to bring attention to it and changed the subject instead.

"I need to pay for this please," he said, pushing the blazer closer to her. He could see her hesitation, the same look of concern his grandfather shows him all he could see on her face. He added intently, "I'm okay."

The clerk was not convinced and Yugi knew it, but she did relent and began ringing him up. As she did, Yugi could not help but glance over his shoulder where he had run from. He saw no one, but he did not trust his eyes in that moment.

"That'll be ¥1,620.38, please."

Yugi managed to fish out the bills from his pocket, placing the crumpled notes onto the counter. The clerk accepted them without second thought, allowing the register to process the change. When she had the money owed to Yugi, she turned her attention back to him. He was looking away again.

"Your change," she prompted, remaining patient when the teenager whirled back around to face her.

"Keep it," he said, grabbing the bag with his blazer and bolting from the shop. The clerk watched him go, money still in hand, her previous concern returning to her expression.

By the time Yugi made it home, his grandfather's '61 Cadillac was just pulling into the driveway. When the older Mutou stepped out of the car, the first thing he noticed from Yugi was his haggard appearance, the second was the shopping bag.

"You went somewhere? What happened?"

"Just tired from the walk," Yugi answered lethargically, approaching the front door with Sugoroku. "You're home early."

"Oh yes, Arthur had an unexpected meeting to go to. I see you have a blazer there, good find!" The shop owner beamed as they entered the house, holding the door open for Yugi.

He recoiled a bit at the mention of the new article of clothing, recalling the events of his venture only hours prior. As Yugi ducked into the store area of the house, he muttered, "yeah, I was pretty lucky," before disappearing to retreat to his room.

Sugoroku watched his grandson take his leave with a questioning stare. From his demeanor, he surmised that something must have happened to Yugi while he was away, which would be the opposite of what was intended with getting away in the first place. However, if the younger Mutou was not willing to talk about it, then there wasn't anything he could do other than wait.

As Sugoroku stepped into the kitchen, a certain reoccurring thought surfaced once again in light of his grandson's outbursts. He would be starting school in a day; he could not help but wonder if the stress of a new environment will trigger another, possibly worse, episode.

_Oh Karuta, if only you could talk to him._

Now in his room, Yugi tossed the bag containing the blazer onto his bed and made a bee line to the desk. With his phone out, the teenager sat down and began his new search.

He knew the sounds he heard were not his ears playing tricks on him; he heard things, and saw the clothes rustle on the rack, but there was no one there to cause these things to occur. In his logical mind, there was only two possible explanations: a ghost, or he really was going crazy.

If a 'ghost' really was the reason, then all of those events he experienced could explain it. Could this house really be haunted?

_'How to know if you're haunted'_ was Yugi's first search, which yielded pages upon pages of results. He decided to click on the first link, which brought him to an official looking website filled with information on the subject of the supernatural. The black background with white text burned Yugi's eyes but he read on anyway, determined to find out what he needed to know.

The first paragraph told of a sort of 'game' that could be played to see if there was a ghost dwelling in your home, simply called "The Ghost Game". No materials were needed in partaking in this game, only a comfortable seat and a quiet environment. It went on to explain how to play, which Yugi read carefully. He wrote the directions down on a sheet of paper nearby, making sure to include every detail.

Once he was done with that, Yugi moved on to a few other explanations and tools that could be used to possibly catch an image or voice of a ghost. Many of these devices were not owned by either of them, but Yugi did remember that his grandfather had an old voice recorder from his archeology days. He hoped it still works.

Poking around other sites did not give him any new information, so Yugi set his phone down before standing from his desk. He stretched, feeling his joints pop in protest.

"The Ghost Game would be the easiest to start out with, Yugi mumbled to himself as he turned and exited the room, heading right for the bathroom. The cold water from the sink refreshed him as it was splashed on his face, doing it's best to cool his heated skin.

After shutting off the water, Yugi stood to inspect himself in the mirror. Signs of restless nights were already present on his face, his naturally large eyes sporting faint bags beneath them. He sighed, crying his hands on a towel hanging nearby and left.

His reflection remained, watched Yugi leave the bathroom with a blank expression.

Each step back to his room was an accelerated heartbeat as a mix of fear and anticipation gripped him. Yugi settled on trying the game out first, since it would be the simplest way to begin. That was his reasoning, in any case.

Once he successfully tucked his fear away, Yugi took in a deep breath before crawling into his bed. He recalled that, for the game to work, a quiet place must be found to keep the player from getting distracted. Yugi could not think of a quieter place than his room.

"A quiet place, no distractions, and then..." The teenager laid down on his back, adjusting several times to get comfortable. He closed his eyes next, breathing deeply in and out as it was instructed. Several minutes passed as he continued, falling deeper into a trance-like state.

Step one: Picture yourself outside your house at night.


End file.
